Isolation and regeneration of transiently transformed protoplasts from gametophytic blades of the marine red alga Porphyra yezoensis

Despite the recent progress of transient gene expression systems in a red alga Porphyra yezoensis by particle bombardment, a stable transformation system has yet to establish in any marine red macrophytes. One of the reasons of the difficulty in genetic transformation in red algae is the lack of systems to select and isolate transformed cells from gametophytic blades. Thus, toward the establishment of the stable transformation system in P. yezoensis, we have developed a procedure by which transiently transformed gametophytic cells were prepared from particle bombarded-gametophytic blade as regeneratable protoplasts. Using mixture of marine bacterial enzymes, yield of protoplasts was high as reported elsewhere; however, these protoplasts did not develop. In contrast, protoplasts prepared from gametophytes treated with allantoin were normally developed, in which the overexpression of a \u3b2-glucuronidase reporter gene had no effect on the regeneration of protoplasts. Therefore, the use of allantoin in protoplast preparation sheds a new light on the realization of an efficient isolation and selection of study transformed cells from gametophytic blades

The ortho-to-para ratio of ammonia in the L1157 outflow

We have measured the ortho-to-para ratio of ammonia in the blueshifted gas of the L1157 outflow by observing the six metastable inversion lines from (J, K) = (1, 1) to (6, 6). The highly excited (5, 5) and (6, 6) lines were first detected in the low-mass star forming regions. The rotational temperature derived from the ratio of four transition lines from (3, 3) to (6, 6) is 130-140 K, suggesting that the blueshifted gas is heated by a factor of ~10 as compared to the quiescent gas. The ortho-to-para ratio of the NH3 molecules in the blueshifted gas is estimated to be 1.3--1.7, which is higher than the statistical equilibrium value. This ratio provides us with evidence that the NH3 molecules have been evaporated from dust grains with the formation temperature between 18 and 25 K. It is most likely that the NH3 molecules on dust grains have been released into the gas phase through the passage of strong shock waves produced by the outflow. Such a scenario is supported by the fact that the ammonia abundance in the blueshifted gas is enhanced by a factor of ~5 with respect to the dense quiescent gas.Comment: 16 pages, including 3 PS figures. To appear in the ApJ (Letters). aastex macro

Bulk antiferromagnetism in Na0.82CoO2\bf Na_{0.82}CoO_2 single crystals

Susceptibility, specific heat, and muon spin rotation measurements on high-quality single crystals of $\rm Na_{0.82}CoO_2$ have revealed bulk antiferromagnetism with N\'{e}el temperature $\rm T_N = 19.8 \pm 0.1$ K and an ordered moment perpendicular to the $\rm CoO_2$ layers. The magnetic order encompasses nearly 100% of the crystal volume. The susceptibility exhibits a broad peak around 30 K, characteristic of two-dimensional antiferromagnetic fluctuations. The in-plane resistivity is metallic at high temperatures and exhibits a minimum at $\rm T_N$.Comment: published versio

Multimode quantum interference of photons in multiport integrated devices

We report the first demonstration of quantum interference in multimode interference (MMI) devices and a new complete characterization technique that can be applied to any photonic device that removes the need for phase stable measurements. MMI devices provide a compact and robust realization of NxM optical circuits, which will dramatically reduce the complexity and increase the functionality of future generations of quantum photonic circuits

Purification, crystallization and preliminary crystallographic analysis of soybean mature glycinin A1bB2.

Glycinin is one of the most abundant storage-protein molecules in soybean seeds and is composed of five subunits (A1aB1b, A1bB2, A2B1a, A3B4 and A5A4B3). A1bB2 was purified from a mutant soybean cultivar containing glycinin composed of only A5A4B3 and A1bB2. At 281 K the protein formed hexagonal, rectangular and rod-shaped crystals in the first [0.1 M imidazole pH 8.0, 0.2 M MgCl2, 35%(v/v) MPD], second [0.1 M sodium citrate pH 5.6, 0.2 M ammonium acetate, 30%(v/v) MPD] and third (0.1 M phosphate-citrate pH 4.2, 2.0 M ammonium sulfate) crystallization conditions, respectively. X-ray diffraction data were collected to resolutions of 1.85, 1.85 and 2.5 Å from crystals of the three different shapes. The crystals belonged to space groups P6322, P21 and P1, with unit-cell parameters a = b = 143.60, c = 84.54 Å, a = 114.54, b = 105.82, c = 116.67 Å, β = 94.99° and a = 94.45, b = 94.96, c = 100.66 Å, α = 107.02, β = 108.44, γ = 110.71°, respectively. One, six and six subunits of A1bB2 were estimated to be present in the respective asymmetric units. The three-dimensional structure of the A1bB2 hexamer is currently being determined

Reduction of HbA1c levels by fucoxanthin-enriched akamoku oil possibly involves the thrifty allele of uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1): a randomised controlled trial in normal-weight and obese Japanese adults

海藻由来のカロテノイド色素であるフコキサンチンの摂取はHbA1cを改善し，その効果は肥満や糖尿病発症のリスクが高いUCP1-3826A/G多型（G/G型）保有者において著しいことを示した